Category Archives: baby lower

This time around I felt so much more prepared for post-partum life with a newborn (though the toddler is throwing a bit of a curveball!), but there are a few new things that I have found especially helpful these first weeks! {See my past newborn and post-partum essentials.}

ONE.Milk Saver. This is something that was shared by a good mama friend and that I never would have bought or tried without a personal recommendation. You basically stick it into your bra on the opposite side that you are feeding on, and it catches the milk that you would otherwise leak (or let-down) into a nursing pad or bra. It doesn’t seem like much, but especially when I have gone a long time between feeds (like first thing in the morning after going all night) I can get half an ounce to three-quarters just from one side! Then I add this milk to the milk I am pumping, and since we are still only doing a one-and-a-half ounce bottle each evening, it makes a difference. One thing to note is that it’s foremilk (and not hindmilk) so it won’t fill baby up as well, but I would rather Daphne drink it than it all be wasted.

TWO. Pumping Bra. If you are going to pump, you might as well pump both sides (there are some exceptions to this) and it really sucks if you have to hold the pumps onto your breasts (haha, pun intended!). I have used this pumping bra for both girls, and even if you don’t use this exact one, get one if you are planning on pumping at all. These bras make pumping hands-free which is amazing; my first pumping session a few weeks ago I didn’t know where this bra was and it was the longest 15 minutes of my life! Plus, When I am pumping, it is total mama time and I give myself full permission to zone out on Facebook or Instagram.

THREE. LilyPadz. Nursing pads, especially in these early days and weeks, are super important. I used the reusable Bamboobieones (and still do at nighttime) but these LilyPadz are a game-changer! They are sticky silicone pads that basically prevent leaks between feedings (unless there is a LOT of milk leaking!). My advice would be to wait a week or two after birth before starting them because your nipples will be super tender and maybe a little raw. Plus, if you are using any type of ointment or cream, these are a no-go.

FOUR. Lactation cookies. There are some foods that are supposed to increase milk supply, a few of them being rolled oats, Brewer’s Yeast, and flaxseed. And it just so happens that if you add these things to a chocolate chip cookie dough, you get chocolate chip cookies that help you lactate! I tend to always have a sweet tooth post-partum so I don’t have any problem eating a few of these thru-out the day! {We call them “Mama’s special milk bars” at our house so that Eloise doesn’t realize that I am actually eating cookies all day long… though I think she might be catching on.}

FIVE. Sleeper gowns. We had a few of these with Eloise, but I don’t remember them being as helpful as they are this time around. I basically mean a nightgown that has snaps or a zipper for easy diaper changes in the middle of the night. It is hard enough to change a newborn’s diaper with any outfit on since you are doing it so frequently, but in the middle of the night (or even a sleep deprived day) a simple in-snap is much-needed.

SIX. Gloves. Also another thing we didn’t use with Eloise. Maybe it is because we started trimming her nails earlier? But, we used gloves on Daphne for the first five weeks since her little nails grew so quickly (and were so sharp!) and the in-hospital pediatrician recommended we don’t trim her nails for the first few weeks since the nails are basically fused to the skin at that point. A lot of newborn tops and outfits have built-in gloves which is super helpful, but I would still recommend picking up a pair!

SEVEN. June and January booties. Eloise was born in the summer (during our hottest month) so socks weren’t really a thing we worried about until she was quite a bit older. But, since it was still pretty cool in March, I did worry about Daphne’s feet being too cold. I picked up these June and January booties (because they were impossibly cute!) with a clothing order before Daphne was born, and quickly found out these booties were perfect in lieu of socks! They have Velcro and are actually small enough around the ankle to stay on Daphne’s feet (which is the big issue with socks for babies). I ended up ordering another couple of pairs because I was so happy with them and Daphne was wearing them (and still does) every day.

EIGHT. Swaddle blankets. We probably have ten or fifteen swaddle blankets (at least!) that have accumulated from the time Eloise was born. They make great gifts and are actually really useful as a make-shift nursing cover, burp cloth, car seat cover, etc. and, for swaddling! Both of our babies have loved/needed to be swaddled for soothing and sleeping, and even though we use a zipper swaddle at night (we have been using this onewith Daphne) we use a blanket a lot during the day which is why they are all over the house! This grey one from Lou Lou & Co is my absolute favorite though because it is super soft, a little stretchy, and makes for a great swaddled baby! I think it may become my go-to baby shower gift.

{week 39} With just T-minus 4 days until my due date, I figured I should get this 39 week update posted, especially since Eloise came 2 days early…

This week’s midwife check-up was sort of a bust. We all headed downtown to my appointment on Tuesday morning (yep, on my birthday!) and we were pretty excited since it has been a while since Aaron had been able to join me at an appointment. Such a difference from the first time around when he literally went to every appointment! Upon checking-in we were informed that there had been a scheduling error and no midwives were in the office that morning. Grrr! We were given the option to either wait for a later appointment with one of the office’s many OBs or schedule to come in later in the week. I opted to do neither and skip the 39 week appointment altogether! Honestly, I spend 20 or 30 minutes waiting for the nurse; she checks my weight and blood pressure; and then 10 or 15 minutes more of me waiting for the midwife so she can measure my belly and listen to the baby’s heartbeat with the Doppler. And as much as I love to hear that little heartbeat, I didn’t think it was worth all of that time extra time in the office (or the extra trip back)! If there as ANY indication that I was having complications or risks (past high BP, swelling, pain, bleeding, etc.) I absolutely would have stayed, but it is pretty much status quo at this point (which is fantastic!).

This week I have been feeling slow and like I have to pee every single second… but I have also been trying to savor all of the time I have had this week with Eloise because I know this is more than likely the last few days I will have with her just Mama and Eloise. Every one is so excited about Baby Foot’s pending arrival, but it is definitely bittersweet. So I have taken all of the cuddles, extra stories and songs, and back rubs that I can get in with Eloise lately! And this weekend will be a mix of getting last-minute things done (I have two in-progress projects for the nursery!), checking off Eloise’s list of things she wants to do (the playground and making banana bread), and possibly making some freezer meals.

Physically I am still feeling really good! I am tired and feel like I could sleep all day long, but once I am up and awake, I feel somewhat energized. My appetite is still low, so it has been lots of green smoothies around here this week. Getting up from the bed or the couch is probably the hardest thing as I feel like my arms and legs are just flailing about – it’s probably quite funny to see! And it feels like maybe the baby has dropped a bit since I am feeling less kicking in my ribs and more pressure on my bladder… No signs of early labor, but honestly I am not counting on that since I had pretty much no signs of labor with Eloise until I started having contractions which didn’t ever stop until she was born!

As I have mentioned before, I am still holding out for the 21st (or later) since my parents will be here and I can get in one more Pure Barre class (tomorrow afternoon!!). It feels crazy to be like a ticking time bomb, but as they say “babies are born on their birthdays” and you just have to go with it!

{week 38} Welp, 38 weeks! I am glad that I made it this far and hope to have (at least) one more weekly bump update before Baby Foot joins us in the world! Most people think I am completely nuts you guys, but I could go maybe another month or 6 weeks – I am going to miss being pregnant so much!

At my appointment this week, everything was good and normal with the bump measuring in around 36 (or a stretch to 37!) with absolutely no signs of early labor. My mid-wives are pretty relaxed about doing any kind of physical exam, even this late in the pregnancy, because if there aren’t any complications or any other signs, early dilation or effacing can just mess with your mind and can mean absolutely nothing in terms of actually going into labor. I know a few mamas who went weeks dilated to a 3 or 4, and then mamas who went from 0 to 10 in just a few hours!

Lots of people (including total strangers) have been asking how I have been sleeping, and the answer is wonderfully! I don’t want to jinx it, but there have only been two or maybe three nights (including Sunday night) where I wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep. I am so, so thankful I haven’t had a lot of insomnia during the past nine months and feel so badly for any women that do. For me, it is my brain going a mile-a-minute and not being able to turn it off! But, whether you are working at an office or at home with your kids, a full night’s sleep is a necessity! Fingers crossed I will continue to sleep well at night since I know once this baby comes that will change!

After my appointment with the mid-wife last week I had a pre-natal massage. You guys, it was the best! I never had one with Eloise because I didn’t have a good recommendation for a pre-natal masseuse, but this time around a good friend referred me to a wonderful gal who was more than qualified. I am not huge into massage but it can be really relaxing for me, and with all that my body is doing at this point, it was nice to get some work done. Plus, it meant I got to lay down and take a little snooze during the middle of the day! If I were to do it again, I would schedule pre-natal massages for at least once per trimester!

Also, we finally figured out the car seat arrangement in our new car that works for everyone! I had mentioned either in a weekend post or a bump post previously that we couldn’t make the two car seats work in the back seat AND have Aaron (and his long legs) be able to fit in the driver’s seat comfortably. We really had two options: (1) turn Eloise to be forward-facing (since it makes her seat much less deep!) or (2) buy another car seat for Eloise that was less deep than her current one. We are currently borrowing one of Amanda’s Diono car seats (since we need an extra car seat for Eloise for when my parents get into town) which gave us a good insight into how another seat would fit in our car. We really like the Diono and are really considering it for when Baby Foot grows out of the infant seat, but it didn’t give us as much space as we had hoped. After re-arranging all of the seats in our car, Aaron realized he was able to change the angle of Eloise’s current seat so it was super up-right, and lo and behold it fits behind the driver’s seat while Aaron is driving! Hooray! Seriously. This is the BEST news. I didn’t really want to have to buy another car seat at this point (mostly because we really don’t have space to store Eloise’s current seat (it’s super bulky!) but I didn’t want to feel like my only choice was to turn Eloise forward-facing if she wasn’t ready. This is a really personal decision for a lot of parents, but one that I was willing to stand firm on. Technically Eloise can be forward in the car because she is over the age of 2 (which is state law) but she is well within the height and weight limits of the rear-facing for her current car seat as well as the fact that nearly everyone that knows anything about car safety will tell you that facing backwards in the car is the most safe (actually even for grown-ups!). Okay, so there’s the end of that long digression…

And lastly, since I didn’t do professional maternity photos this time around (see Eloise’s here) and wasn’t really showing when our Christmas cards were taken (I was just 25 weeks along), I wanted to be sure to capture at least a few moments of this Baby Foot bump. So thanks to my super awesome hubby for getting some really sweet shots! (Sidenote: I promise that I am clothed the last few shots!)

{week 37} And we are officially full-term. That’s crazy guys! While it would be pretty unexpected and not very likely (especially since Eloise was so close to her due date) I could go into labor any time now and there wouldn’t be any intervention to stop it. Lots of people are telling me how second babies tend to be early, but in my experience with all of my close friends, the second babies have been late (or within a day or two of the due date). So I am holding out for a late February baby. The 21st to be exact and am planning on keeping myself busy until then!

My check-up with the mid-wife this week went well. Weight is pretty stable at this point and BP is low to normal, both are great! The baby’s heartbeat is strong and s/he is still head down into my pelvis – perfect position for these last few weeks. My belly is still measuring slightly small at 35, but no cause for concern. I don’t seem to be retaining water which is nice and my face is definitely not as full as it was last time (no complaints there!).

My appetite has really decreased and nothing really sounds good these days. Except for green smoothies! Baby still feels like s/he is up in my lungs during the day and I am hoping baby will “drop” soon!

Lots of people have been asking how sleeping is and, knock on wood, I have been sleeping well! Like I said before, I know the pregnancy pillow has helped tremendously. I can sleep on either side and have support on both sides, and still have two pillows under my head to help keep my heartburn at bay. I am up a few times a night to pee, and occasionally Eloise needs a back rub or some attention in the middle of the night, but generally sleep is great! We are trying to get all our ZZZs in before Baby Foot comes!

{week 36} And just like that we are at the end of January. It seems like I have blocked out the entire month of February (except for the week of Valentine’s Day!) as “Baby Lower month” and now it is here! February has always been such a special month in my life because of my birthday, and honestly, I have always celebrated the entire month! I know that with this new baby we will have even more to celebrate in this month, but it does make me slightly sad. Like normally we are gearing up for a big birthday bash at the house! Le sigh. Perhaps next year…

My now-weekly updates with the mid-wife have started and I already feel like I am living at the office. This past appointment I met the third mid-wife for the first time and she was very methodical about making sure we had everything covered – my kind of lady! We got to hear Baby Foot’s heartbeat – the best! – and my belly was measuring between 34 and 35 which is just slightly behind and completely normal for me. My blood pressure was within the low/normal range which is consistent with what it has always been and is especially good at this point since high blood pressure is definitely a red flag at this point in pregnancy. Baby Foot also remains in a good position with his/her back facing out and head down and low (already in the pelvis!).

There was a lot of talk about what the process would be this time around at the point I do go into labor, like who we call and where we go, etc. Pretty much any day now, especially as I near 37 weeks which is considered “full term.” (Ahhh!) And the biggest thing she kept saying was not to wait!! Second babies are known to come much sooner, so we don’t have the luxury of delaying like we did last time around (I labored at home for a few hours which was nice). I may have mentioned it before, but most of my anxiety comes from not knowing when I will go into labor because I can’t set a super specific plan for who will care for Eloise. At this point, we are mostly covered with friends and family, but it still gives me anxiety!

As you know from my last few weekend updates, nesting is full-on around here. It is great to be getting things done, and organized, and all set-up since I know that once a newborn (and a toddler) are here, nothing extra will get done. The nursery is close to being “done” and I have just a handful of projects I hope to get done: adding length to the curtains (they are about 6 inches too short, grrr!) and lining them with blackout liners, making a crib skirt, painting a globe, and sourcing art work for a future gallery wall. Hospital bag is mostly packed (except for those last-minute things) and the car seat base is installed.

Aaron and I have two date nights scheduled in the next two weeks, including an overnight date (we will be at home but Eloise is staying with friends!) which is exciting for us. Being a parent is hard on marriage, even the strongest ones, and I am trying to appreciate the time that I have with Aaron in the evenings or weekends (during naptime) and ensuring that our relationship is getting as much attention as it needs.

And here’s my week 36 update with Eloise! I think I looked much fuller in my face last time around at this point; I would be happy if that didn’t happen this time around!

{week 35} Not much to report this week, though the fact that it’s the last week of my eighth month is sort of blowing my mind. We just passed the “one month left!” mark on Sunday and the final countdown really feels like it’s starting.

I thought, perhaps, the baby dropped a few days ago since it felt like I got some relief from feeling like Baby Foot was all up in my lungs, but it wasn’t permanent. Sometimes it feels like my lungs are being squished and sometimes it feels like I have lots of space to breathe. On that same note, I have started getting jabs in my ribs which I can only attribute to Baby Foot’s feet since I haven’t felt any huge movement (meaning s/he is still head down). Nothing terrible, but sort of a little reminder that someone is in that belly!

I feel much slower these days which I definitely feel during Pure Barre since the class is so fast-paced. I just do what I can and modify what doesn’t work at this point. And I have been letting myself rest and stretch during the last few minutes of abs (towards the very end of the class) since, let’s be honest, I am not working on a six-pack at the moment! But I do feel really good after class and know it’s important for me to keep up the physical activity to feel better now and post-partum.

I have lots of Braxton-Hicks throughout the day which always go away really quickly and don’t really feel like a true contraction, though sometimes they stop me in my tracks! And still some leg/hip pain that feels like my legs are being ripped off. Super fun. I am ready for that to be all done!

And as you know from my weekend post, we have been working like mad to get Eloise into her new room so that we can prep the nursery. All of the big things are in (well, all of the big furniture is the same) but the rug is down and I am 85% sure I like the curtains! I have a box of Eloise’s old newborn clothes to sort thru; there is a pile of new clothes, blankets, and other baby things ready to be washed; and I have started setting things aside for the hospital bag. I am trying to be as prepared as I can in case this baby decides to make an early arrival, but am really hoping the baby is late. Like maybe just a few days or a week?

I see my mid-wife on Friday (and then weekly after this!) and I am so curious to see how my belly has grown. It looks like I am bigger this week and I tend to “catch up” in the last few weeks of my pregnancy!

{week 34} Wow, 8.5 months! I can’t believe we are already into the middle of January. I will probably make a similar statement in every weekly bump post I have left, so let’s get to it.

I saw my mid-wife for a normal check-up and everything was great. After this next week, I start seeing the mid-wife every week! The baby’s heartbeat sounded perfect and my belly was measured, though I honestly don’t even know what the measurement was because we got distracted talking about something else! If it would have been alarming either way, I know my mid-wife would have said something. I am assuming it was maybe a week behind. I also had my TDAP vaccine which you are supposed to get every time you are pregnant to give immunity to the baby; we have had pertussis outbreaks/epidemics in this area for many years, so this was a no-brainer even though I still have “immunity” for another 7 or 8 years! My only complaint about the shot is that it felt like someone slugged me super hard in the shoulder for like a day and a half – ouch!

My lower back pain has mostly subsided which I think is a combination of taking it easy easier, being back at Pure Barre, and getting adjustments at the chiropractor. Now it is just sudden pain in my hip flexors (I think – right where my hip and leg meet!) that is flaring up. I know this is super common as my hips are starting to relax and spread as we near the end of this pregnancy. I don’t remember it being this bad so early with Eloise, though it isn’t constant or consistent which is good.

Working out has been interesting as I am making so many more modifications to accommodate not only my belly, but my inability to lie flat on my back. Just this past weekend my mama-to-be friend (who is almost 39 weeks) took her 500th (!) barre class and it was nice to have a companion at class. I am hoping I can keep with it like my friend and like I did with Eloise, right up to the end! I just keep scheduling classes in the coming weeks and will probably go up to my due date.

Last time around I did another FAQ that I thought would be fun to do this time too:

{question one} how are you feeling?

I feel really good, just much slower these days. And tired. I am sleeping pretty well, for the most part, and just up once or so a night (as long as Eloise is sleeping well which she has been now that she is feeling better!). And thank goodness for that pregnancy pillow – a lifesaver! I mostly blame my tiredness on being so active during the day. Eloise keeps me on my toes and I am trying to cram everything into the end of this pregnancy since I know going out and doing things now with just a toddler is going to be a cake-walk in comparison to what I am in for with a toddler and a newborn!

My heartburn and indigestion is there but really manageable and pretty minimal. It is mostly at night that I feel it and chomping on a Tums generally works.

And, unlike last time, I don’t have carpal tunnel – hooray! This is a huge relief as it was so painful last time around.

{question two} how much weight have you gained?

The honest answer is that I have no idea. Like last time around (and even when I am not pregnant) I don’t look at the scale. My mid-wife obviously keeps track of my weight and I know she will tell me if there is an issue either way. But physically, I am nearly all bump! A handful of my pre-pregnancy clothes that can stretch or be below my belly still fit (including all of my workout clothes which is great because who wants to spend that much on workout stuff for just a few months?).

Last time I was really, really sensitive to my perceived weight gain and any comments that people made that I felt like were discussing my weight. Even though I still know it is a sensitive topic for me, I have grown a much thicker skin which I blame on being pregnant once before and also surviving almost two-and-a-half years with all sorts of people giving me unsolicited parenting advice. You start to learn that it is NOT about you and it is definitely about them wanting to share information.

{question three} are you having any cravings?

My earlier cravings for fresh fruit, cold water, and dessert (so sugar) have really subsided and while I still really enjoy all of those things, I mostly don’t have much of an appetite these days. I think that is because my belly gets full so quickly that enjoying a meal is a thing of the past.

{question four} are you feeling the baby?

Yes very much! The baby is mostly active in the evening or right at bedtime. Lots of squirms and dancing when I lie down for bedtime. Also, ab work during barre seems to get me a lot of movement as well.

This baby also gets the hiccups at least once a day which is so reminiscent of Eloise!

I have been feeling so badly this time around because I don’t have a single video of this baby moving inside my belly (and have at least half a dozen of Eloise!). And it isn’t really lack of time, but I guess shyness on the baby’s part? Every time there is movement and I get my phone out to video, baby stops. Seriously. The worst. So that is my mission in these next five weeks!

{question five} will you find out the gender?

Nope, still don’t know the gender. I still have a hunch that it is a GIRL, but that is just mama’s intuition. I was right with Eloise, but really, I have only ever been pregnant with a girl!

{question six} how many more kids are you planning on having?

Aaron and I have pretty much decided (like 99%) that we are sticking with two kids, meaning this is my last pregnancy. I always thought I wanted three kids, but in reality I can’t imagine adding one more to the mix. (Ask me again though when I am snuggling with a tiny newborn!) I am leaving it up to Aaron whether we try for another one which is basically only going to be an option if this baby in my belly is another girl! 🙂

{question seven} have you picked out any names?

Yes, mostly. Our boy name is solid and we have had it set since before I even found out I was pregnant. It isn’t the name we were going to use for Eloise if she would have been a boy (since that one also started with E) but we both really, really love it! But, for a girl’s name, we are a bit on the fence. There is a name that I really like and a name that Aaron really likes, so we are going to have to find some sort of tie-breaker. Since we don’t know the gender of the baby though, we aren’t worried if we don’t decide on a name from the moment the baby is born. Maybe it will take a few hours or a day before we know which one feels right!

{question eight} have you started designing the nursery?

Yes! I shared my nursery moodboard here and we pretty much have everything for it. I still need to find a few more pieces for a gallery wall which I am determined to have up (at least partly) before the baby is born since the one I had planned for Eloise never actually went up… it will in her new room though! I know there are things I will want to change or add once I see everything together, but all of the big pieces are ready to go which is so reassuring!

Our biggest hang-up now is just logistical. Since we are moving Eloise down the hall and keeping the nursery next to our room, we have to get E’s new room ready before we can finish the nursery. But, we are well on our way to getting E’s room done and all of the big pieces are ready to go. I am hoping to move her fully in the next two weeks.